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If you have been a VIP Member for more than a few months, you will know that I try hard to provide you – our VIP Members – with the best, most up to date information about living and retirement in Costa Rica as well as useful information about buying and investing in Costa Rica real estate…
You will know that in order to keep this information objective and untainted, we do not accept any outside advertising even though cutting off the advertising removed a much needed five figure sum from our budget…
The reason that decision was made was to remove a bunch of scumbag, rip-off artists who know how to work the Google Adwords system and get their advertisements placed on our website.
Life is not only about dollars and cents and the last thing I want is for your Costa Rica dreams to become nightmares.
The only products, services and real estate developments that we help promote are from people that I know personally and trust implicitly. Real simple!
I do the best that I can do with the measly 24 hours given to me but, today I do need your help…
We are working on a new and improved version of my book ‘How To Buy Costa Rica Real Estate Without Losing Your Camisa’ and since this book is written for YOU, we really would love to know what YOU want included…
1. What would you like to see in a book about Costa Rica real estate?
2. What’s important to you?
3. What information have you not been able to find about Costa Rica real estate?
4. What did you feel we left out of the first book that should have been included?
5. What did we include that maybe you think we should not have included?
6. How could we lay out the book in a more readable format?
7. How important are photographs to you in a book about Costa Rica real estate?I welcome and look forward to your constructive criticisms and suggestions
Muchisimas gracias for your help…
Scott Oliver – Founder
WeLoveCostaRica.com1. I thought the information you had about square-meter pricing in most parts of Costa Rica was very helpful at the time, particularly since there is no MLS. However, as with any book that must be printed, it can become out of date fairly quickly. This same information, with some sort of newsletter subscription included that might have semi-annual updates would be very nice. I understand that in some parts of the country, real estate is down as much as 30%, but it is tough to separate speculation and rumor from reality. A broker I trust in the southern zone just reported last week, “I would say a down of about 30% on the run-of-the-mill property, which there is quite a bit of. The good stuff is selling, at about a 10 – 15% reduction compared to a year ago.”
2. I thought many of the things you covered in the first book were excellent. You might go a little more into the downsides and risks related to investing in Costa Rica real estate for pure investment vs. second home objectives. The lending environment and again, a six month update to this would also be helpful.
3. What kind of bugs (insects) go with what kinds of real estate. Seriously! I’ve found there are some important things to know about this. What the emergency medical response system is like in areas outside of major metropolitan areas. Cultural differences, that you do a great job of discussing in the book and your newsletter continue to be impt. Socio econonimic trends in the bordering countries of Nicaragua and Panama is also impt., as well as the region.
In general, I liked everything in the first book, and your excellent writing style. I would just put in a few more things mentioned above and find a mechanism to keep the topics up-to-date.
Kathleen Chiras
We bought land in a development that has a POA (Property Owner’s Association). What we did not know is that this association and most of them in Costa Rica are ‘voluntary’. Many of the lot owners refuse to pay their share, putting the cost of maintaining the roads and water system on the ones that do.
I have purchased a home in the mountains in Grecia and am a retired Doctor and Building Contractor. I am having a terrible time in finding building supplies especially engineered floor and roof (truss) systems made from wood. I am going to take the roof off of my building and add a second floor. Yes, I know that most of the building is done in concrete and steel but I believe that an wood system would be very practical and would last over the years if done properly.
If anyone has any information I would appreciate some help.
We will be coming down for good around the first of the yearThank you.
Dr. David HopkinsThis was posted in the wrong thread and reposted here by Scott…
Posted Aug 18,2008 10:20 AM carolina
Dear Scott,
I look forward to your newsletter each week and have read your book cover to cover.
I applaud you for not taking advertising, since it would then make your site just like all the “slock” sites that are hyping real estate in Costa Rica.
Since the primary focus of your website is real estate and living in Costa Rica, would it be offensive to take advertising from companies that are not directly or indirectly related to this industry…like coffee — especially the responsible companies that are contributing to the economy of this beautiful country.
Have you considered a modest annual subscripton fee that would include the price of the book and a years subscription to your newletters? Just a thought. I know charging for your website would probably not be popular with all of us who just think it is the greatest, and it is free!
But, worse would be to lose your wonderful work.
Kindest, Carolyn
David,
I saw your note and think I have a good resource for you. I am good friends with the owners of a reforestation project called Finca Leola, who have some farms and wood production company near La Fortuna. I forwarded your message on to them this morning, and they responded that they thought they could help you out. Feel free to contact Fred Morgan at fmorgan@fincaleola.com
Kathleen Chiras
Edited on Aug 18, 2008 13:27
This was also posted in the wrong/new thread and reposted here by Scott…
Posted Aug 18,2008 1:21 PM markluck
Information regarding the use of some realtors in charging commissions to both buyers and sellers, and keeping the two well apart so that there could be no discourse between them regarding fees. Also the warning in some areas that if there’s a spring on the property, it can’t be built upon. This could render a great piece of land worthless.
My suggestion is something you never touch on. maybe it lacks glammor but you have homes from “just”199,000″etc. for many folks it might well as be starting at just 2 million. I know from first hand on the spot checking that there are many really great very cheap deals.and I have been in contact with several members of this site that gave me the leads. I personally saw properties in the 40-60,000 one How about some articles or info on low low budget housing. I know for all those with big or medium. bucks this is a poo. poo. but I am sure there are even more too embarrased or unknowing that this market does exist. WEll?///I stayed in many very acceptable places…like on the Carribian side for $175 a month for a full private cabania just across the street from the sea and 100 yards to the national park with tons of very nice beaches… There is a fair to abundent properties if one is willing to look. and for sure there can be found examples available.
terry from texas
Dear Scott just a short message to thank you for being such a wonderful person that really cares about giving us all valuable information about CR.
Although I don’t live in CR and I haven’t read your book yet (will do sooner or later) here are some wishes:
1.- Sort of a descriptive area map, when possible categorizing where mostly families with kids/commercial/clubs-parks/etc are located/living although nowadays most of it could be researched through Google earth.
2.- Good Schools also not multilingual, “safer” areas where to live with kids where they can enjoy exploring the nature/biking etc or reunite with other kids on the streets and play. (I know nowhere are you 100% safe)
6.- Maybe a payed download able PDF version of the book to save on post and paper.
7.- On an informative book about real estate I think I would not care much if there are no photographs at all, and, Color printing might increase the book price significantly, maybe a reference to a members online gallery could be a cheaper and a more dynamic alternative.
Thanks, rafael
* It is posible to quit the function of automatically log off the web-site after a few minutes of inactivity? I just loose what I was writing on the board because of this.
Hi Scott!
Thank you for having this site-it is truly admirable that you don’t accept advertising. I have not read your book, however, I would recommend that you either put it in a pdf format or consider an e-book and charge for it accordingly, to go green. Then you can get all the wonderful color photos, maps, etc. for a fraction of what print would cost. I believe in no time it would pay for itself and then some. The rest of the newsletter is wonderful-keep up the good work!
Kind regards,
LynetteKathleen this is in response to your comments from the broker you know in the southern zone. In my opinion a lot of people mistakenly refer to a drop in asking prices as a down market. The reality is, many people bought real estate they foolishly over paid for and now in order to sell it have to accept a reasonable price for it. My feeling is that you really only have a “down market” when the market value goes down in relation to a reasonable market price at the time the purchase was originally made. Many people, especially in the southern zone bought property site unseen at a time when there was a feeding frenzy to buy Costa Rica property and frankly way over paid in many instances. I just don’t agree that an attitude of “what the market will bear” is what sets the long range market. When people tell me that the real estate market is down here in the Central Pacific area, I point out to them that the market may have slowed down but the market itself is not down. What is down is the rediculous asking price many people had been trying to resell their property for. Many tried to sell their investment for 2 or 3 times what they paid and have had to come down on that asking price in order to sell. Someone who paid $100k for a property and after one year was asking $300K to sell the same property. After a year of no movement they drop their price to $150k and sell the property. So many people mistakenly call this a 50% drop in the market when in realty this person after two years made a 50% profit on his original purchase. That maybe is making an effort to simplify the issue too much, but the simple math can clarify to a lot of people that there really is a difference between a down market and a slowed market.
Many people bought real estate in the southern zone based on the false expectations developers gave them of new international airports and new marinas supposedly ready to break ground. Once they find out that those ammenities are not likely to come any time soon if ever, they suddenly realize it adds another day at least to their travel and quite a bit of extra expense to even get to the southern zone where their property is. That understanding effects what people might feel is a realistic price for proprety in the southern zone. I think too, web sites like this one is having an impact on educating people to a lot of information that even a few years ago was difficult if not almost impossible to get. Having an educated buyer in a country like Costa Rica can definitely make a difference in the perception of what the real market is.
You might want to check out a Costa Rican company in Cartago called Grupo Xilo,
in Alto de Ochomogo – Cartago. The website is in Spanish, so it took a bit of work to get the information about pre-fab wood houses I was looking for. I think they may have products you are looking for is I guess my point!Later,
Tom in Portland on a budget!
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